NHRA’s Camping World Drag Racing Series’ Pro Stock Motorcycle class is taking a youthful turn. Joey Gladstone nearly beat six-time champion Matt Smith to the title this year and there are younger riders coming up who will keep this class relevant for years to come.
While it’s true that Smith, wife Angie Smith, Jerry Savoie and the similarly ageless Steve Johnson, together with Angelle Sampey and Eddie Krawiec aren’t exactly spring chickens, there are new riders getting into this class who will be its heroes in the next few years.
Along with Gladstone, there’s Ryan Oehler, who has a single win to his credit, single race-winner Jianna Salinas, whose mentoring from Matt Smith has her riding better than ever and Gaige Herrera, who took over Jimmy Underdahl’s Suzuki at the Dodge Power Brokers U.S. Nationals and showed us all he belongs in this class.
Savoie, in particular, has been threatening to do what his 2022 teammate, Karen Stoffer did at the close of the 2022 season: retire. While he’s riding well, the toll of pounding through each of 15 racing weekends and the stress that comes from travel and competition, have had the Louisiana alligator farmer thinking of hanging up his black helmet and leathers.
While he won’t be doing that quite yet, Savoie is planning a partial 2023 season and allowing Chase Van Sant to take control of his White Alligator Racing (WAR) Suzuki Hayabusa. Van Sant, whose father, Pro Mod standout Bruce is the proprietor of Trick-Tools, has been straight-line racing since he started in Jr. Dragsters at the age of eight. He wanted to get into NHRA’s two-wheel class and has been working towards that goal for a number of years. The family is very much involved in the sport, obviously, and the duo have been competing together in 4.60 races.
For Chase Van Sant, this opportunity is a culmination of his desire to compete in NHRA’s Pro Stock Motorcycle class. “I’ve wanted to do this for a long time,” he said. “I’m extremely excited to partner with WAR. To have the opportunity with a team that is as high of caliber as WAR is more than I could have ever hoped for.”
The 25-year-old has already licensed on the bike and has eight passes – thus far – to his credit. He did his licensing at Virginia Motorsports Park last May and on The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in October. The WAR team is planning a January test, likely at Bradenton, before heading to Gainesville, Fla. in March as they attempt to qualify their new rider for his first National event, the 54th Amalie Motor Oils Gatornationals. Chase Van Sant has been working with the WAR team much of the 2022 season and now has a feel for how things are done in the class and on this team, as well as how to work with crew chief/tech wizard Tim Kulungian.
Having this new rider on-board is exciting for Kulungian. “Chase and his family have a long history in motorcycle drag racing,” he explained. “Chase has done an excellent job competing in other categories and after he made his first run and in testing,” on the WAR Suzuki, “I felt like Chase had what it took to ride these motorcycles. The relationship with Trick-Tools is unique; they’re more than a sponsor. They understand the sport and have been a part of it for many years.
“It’s exciting,” he said, “bringing new competitors to the sport. Chase is an exceptional competitor; he has an intrinsic ability for what the sport demands and this team of people have worked really well together,” as Chase learned the ins and outs of NHRA’s Pro Stock Motorcycle class. “I’m excited for 2023,” Kulungian said, “and I hope with those three ingredients we can have some fun!”
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